About this record
In the nineteenth century, alcohol was a controversial issue among Wisconsin's Yankee settlers and immigrants, particularly the Germans who viewed beer as a vital part of their culture. Several northern states enacted prohibition laws in the 1850s, and although Wisconsin never went that far, several legislative efforts were made to regulate the sale of alcohol. As temperance sentiment arose again in the 1870s and 1880s, opponents began to organize to combat liquor restrictions. The Anti-Prohibition Association was established in 1885, comprised primarily of German American brewers who sought to organize for the "mutual aid and protection of its members" from "intolerant legislation. The constitution here is printed in both English and German.Citation
Wisconsin State Anti-Prohibition Association. "Constitution of the Wisconsin State Anti-Prohibition Association." (Milwaukee : J.H. Yewdale & Sons, 1885);